Valve mechanism for drain holes in lifeboats



Oct.4 5 1926. 1,602,093

. J. D. ANDREW VALVE MECHANISM FOR DRAIN HOLES IN LIFEBOATS Filed March 4, 1922 W//l/W///M/// 3 7 gwnumimiryiig INVENTOR Jn/5 //vmew B ATTORNEY Patented Get. 5, i l926.

uurrso STATES PATENT orsi-ics.

JAMES D. ANDREW?, OF ENGLEVOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSGNOR, BY`1VIESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 WELIN DAVIT 8c BOAT CORPORATION', A CORPORATION OF NEW' YORK.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR DRAIN HOLES IN LIFEBOATS.

Application filed March 4,

This invention relates to improvements in valve mechanism for drain holes in life boats.

The principal objects of this invention are to produce an automatically-closing valve mechanism which can be mounted on the inside of the boat and which will be relatively shallow in heioht so as to permit the'v draining of the maximum amount of water from the bottom of the boat when the same is lifted out of the water; which will act positively and instantaneously to close the drain er hailing aperture so soon as the life boat is lowered into the water; which may be formed of durable and rust-proof material and which is so simple that it cannot get out of order and will stand up under all tests; to produce a valve-mechanism having a valve member of non-buoyant material7 viz, material heavier than the quantity of water which will be displaced thereby and to so arrangesuch a non-buoyant member that the difference in pressure of the water below the shell of the boat and above the rsame will cause an immediate automatic closing of the drain or hailing aperture; to produce a valve mechanism of the character described having a cap provided with a series of horizontally-disposed circumferential strainer perforations instead of the conventional plug so as to strain the water from the boat before it reaches the valve and means for controlling the movement of the cap toopen and close these strainer apertures.

lWith these and other objects in view, the invention comprisesthe combination of members and arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which F ig. l is a vertical section on the line 1,-1 or" Fig. 2 through valvev mechanism embodying my invention and connected to the metalplating forming the bottom of a boat;

Fig. 2 is a.- plan view of the valve mechanism shown in Fig. l with` a part of the cap broken away;

Fig. 3 is ahorizontal. section on the line 3 3 of'Fig. 1; andV Fig. t is a vertical section similar to Fig. l

1922.Y serial No. 540,951.

of a modified form of my invention applied to wooden boat construction. Y

Referring now to Figs. l to 8 ofV these drawings, l indicates my improved valve casing't. The top of the casing is, as shown,

provided with a cut out seat 7 into which opening is secured by screw threads or the 'like a ring 8 having a central inlet opening 9 which is preferably disposed above the outlet or drain apertures 6 and are spaced therefrom a minimum distance so that the height of the valve casing may be made as low or flat as isy possible, to the end that substantially all the water within the boat may be drained therethrough and the casing may still be mounted above the bottom shell plat.- ing and within the boat so as to be out of the way and not to form a projecting obstructionwhen the boat is out of the water. The inlet valve opening 9 is yclosed by a plate valve 10 which is disposed between the outlet or drain apertures and said inlet valve opening. This plate l0 is made of any suitable solid and durable materialv so that it will not easily get out of order or rust away,

and is preferably composed of bronze or other non-corrosive metal or material heavier than the amount of water displaced thereby.

Tater within the boat will, when the boat is raised out Vof the water, pass through the inlet valve aperture 9 and thence through the outlet or drain apertures 6 to dispel the same.

to the inlet aperture9 and for straining the same before passing into the valve casing, as well as for closing the said opening into the casing entirely. Thus, I dispose above the said inlet valve-opening 9 a cap 11 which, yin

the embodiment shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, is internally screw-threaded andV meshes with an external screw-thread onV the side edge of the valvek casing. This cap is preferably provided with. a series of horizontally-dis- In the embodiment shown, I prefer- I ably provide means for. admittmgthis water v posed strainer perforations 13 so as to permit water within the boat, when the same is raised, to pass through these strainer perforations, thence through the inlet valve opening 9 and thence on opposite sides of the plate valve 10 through the outlet or drain openings 6. The cap is adjustable vertically on the casing by intermeshing screw-threads on the cap and casing respectively so as to close the strainer apertures and openings 6 and 9 and a. stop is provided for limiting the vertical movement of the cap to prevent the same from being entirely removed from the casing and lost. I also preferably provide a handle 11b or other means for turning said cap to close strainer apertures 13 when desired and thus effectively to completely close apertures 9 and 6. Normally, however, the cap is disposed at its upward limit of movement with the set screw 11a engaging a perimetal flange 12 so as to permit a straining of the water from the boatthrough the lateral apertures 13, valve aperture 10 and outlet or drain apertures 6.

Automatic meansl have heretofore been provided for closing a valve-aperture to preventwater entering the boat when the valve opening is left unclosed and in th conventional form a float valve comprising a rubber ball filled with air is used for this purpose, Such a ball, however, is of relatively great height and occupies a considerable amount of spaceand necessarily leaves a considerably greater residue of water within the boat after draining, or must otherwise be caused to project below 4the bottom of the boat which is objectionable, and furthermore such ball valve by reason of its construction is not durable and must thercf fore be replaced frequently.

By my invention 1 provide a valve which, as aforesaid, comprises a plate of relatively thin metal or other solid and durable material, and is preferably ,composed of rustproof material, such as bronze, which is nonbuoyant or heavier than the quantity of water displaced thereby, and such a plate valve is disposed between the outletor drain apertures 6 and the inlet valve opening 9. l/Vhen so disposed and the boat is lowered into the water, the pressure of the water below the boat from the outside, which is much greater than the pressure of air or water inside the same, will cause the plate valve to be immediately forced to its seat on the inlet valve opening 9 above such outlet or drain apertures G and will thereafter prevent the admissionof water through the said openings to the interior of the boat. j

. As illustrated, l preferably provide intermediate the outlet or drain apertures 6 and inlet valve opening. 9 a series of supporting projections 14 which support the platea slight distance above the drain apertures so that when the boat is being lowered,

the water from outside coming` through such apertures will almost immediately contact with the same and cause an immediately closing movement thereof. The side walls 7 of the valve casing 1 are also preferably provided with radially Vextending ribs 15 which act as guides during the movement of the plate l() and still allow channels to be formed therebetween so as to permit a draining of water through the valve casing when the boat is raised out of the Water.

1n Fig. 41 l have shown a modified form of my invention applied to a wooden boat. rllhis enibodiment of my invention is substantially .similar to the construction shown in Fig. 1, except in the manner of fastening' the valve casing to the wooden shell and except that the cap isK omitted and the valve ring is provided with a screw threaded valve opening 16 into which an externally screw-threaded plug 17 having a handle 18 is adapted to be fitted. ln this construction the plug 17 is oreferably provided with a ring 19 by which the plug` 1'? may be attached to any fixed part of the boat to prevent loss thereof when the plug is ren'ioved from the valve opening 1G.

Having described my invention, l claim 1. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life-boats embodying, in combination, a valve-casing having inlet and outlet apertures and suitably Vsupported within the boat to drain water therefrom and a valve free at its edges and composed of a fiat solid plate of a non-buoyant material and movable bodily as a whole in said casing to permit escape of water through the said openings but movable by pressure of water at the outlet side of said valve casing to close the inlet opening to prevent inflow of water therethrough.

2. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life-boats embodying, in combination, a valve-casing having inlet and outlet vvapen tures and suitably supported within the boat to drain water therefrom and a valve free at its edges and composed of a fiat solid plate of a non-buoyant and non-corrosive material and movable bodily as a whole in said casing to permit escape of water 'through the said openings but movable by pressure of water at the outlet side of said valve casing to Close the inlet opening to prevent inflow of water therethrough. 3. Valve mechanism 'for drain holes in life boats en'ibodying, in combination, a valve casing mounted in the shell of the boat and having a drain aperture, a valve opening in said casing disposed above saidV drain aperture and a valve free at its edges and llo composed of a flat solid plate of a nonbuoyant material and movable bodily as a whole between said drain aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering of the boat into the water, by the pressure ot water admitted through said drain aperture.

4l. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life boats embodying, in combination, a valve' casing mounted in the shell of the boat and having a drain aperture; a valve opening inv said casing disposed above said drain aperture and a valve free at its edges and composed of a `flat solid plate of non-corrosive metal supported and movable bodily as a whole between said drain aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering of the boat intothe water, by the pressure or water admitted through said drain aperture.

5. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life boats embodying, in combination, a valve casing mounted in the shell of the boat and having a drain aperture; a valve open ing in said casing disposed above said drain aperture and a valve free at its edges and composed of a Jflat solid plate of a non-'buoyant and non-corrosive material arranged between said drain aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering of the boat into the water, by the pressure of water admitted through said drain aperture.

6. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life boats embodying, in combination, a valve casing mounted inthe shell o the boat and having a drain aperture; a valve opening in said casing disposed above said drain aperture, a plate valve and movable bodily as a whole between said drain aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering of the boat into the water, by the pressure of water admitted through said drain aperture and ribs'on the internal wall ot' said casing'- for guiding said plate during its Closing movement.

7. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life boats embodying, in combination, a valve casing mounted in the shell ot the boat and having a drain aperture; a valve opening in said casing disposed above said drain aperture, a plate valve arranged betweeny said drain aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering ot' the boat into the water, by the pressure of water admitted through said drain aperture ribs on the internal wall of said casing for guiding said plate during its closing movement and 'valve casing mounted means for supporting said plate above the drain aperture and below the valve aperture.

8. Valve mechanism for drain holes in life boats embodying, in combination, a valve casing mounted in the shell of the boat and having a drain aperture; a valve opening in said casing disposed above said drain aperture, a plate valve arranged between said drain aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering of the boat into the water, by the pressure of water admitted through said drain aperture, a cap having side strainer' apertures above said valve opening and means for moving said cap upwardly and downwardly to open and close said side strainer apertures.

9. Valve mechanism for drain holes in lite boats embodying, in combination, a ink the shell oi' the boat and having a drain aperture; a vvalve opening in said easing disposed above said drain aperture,a plate valve arranged, be-

tween said drain'aperture and valve opening and operable automatically to close said valve opening, upon the lowering of the boat into the water, by the pressure of water mitted through said drain aperture, a cap having Side strainer apertures above said valve opening; said casing and cap having inter-engaging lscrew threads for moving said cap upwardly and downwardly to open and close said side strainer apertures.

10. Valve mechanisms Jfor drain holes in life boats embodying, in combination, a valve casing mounted in the shell of the boat and having a drain aperture; a valve opening in said casing disposed above said drain aperture, a plate valve arranged between said drain aperture and valve opening and v operable automatically to close said valveV opening, upon the lowering of the boat into the water, by the pressure of wat-er admitted through said drain aperture, a cap having side strainer apertures above said valve opening, said casing and cap having interengaging screw threads Jfor moving said cap upwardly and downwardly to open and close said side strainer apertures and means for limiting the upward movement of said cap in relation to said casing to prevent com-- 'plete removal of said cap from the casing.

In witness whereot, I have signed my name to the foregoing specification.

JAMES D. ANDREW. 

